view of the school school vessel Oliver Hazard Perry forward of the bow and to starboard side. Vessel has 3 masts with sails tie

Oliver Hazard Perry underway at an unknown date. (Source: Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island).​

Engine Room Flooding aboard Sailing School Vessel Oliver Hazard Perry

What Happened

About 2200 on May 10, 2025, the sailing school vessel Oliver Hazard Perry started taking on water while moored at Fort Adams State Park dock in Newport, Rhode Island (see figure 1 and figure 2).1 About 0730 the following morning, a crewmember was awoken by an alarm and discovered the flooding. An estimated 21,000 gallons of seawater entered the engine room and the forward auxiliary machine space. There were no injuries, and no pollution was reported. Damage to the vessel was estimated at $1 million.

What We Found

​​We determined that the probable cause of the engine room flooding aboard the sailing school vessel Oliver Hazard Perry was a failed seawater cooling supply pipe for a diesel engine–driven generator due to corrosion. 

Contributing to the extent of the damage was the lack of a bilge alarm annunciator in the accommodation spaces to alert onboard crewmembers to the flooding and a watertight bulkhead and watertight door that did not prevent progressive flooding.

​

Lessons Learned

​Emergency Notifications on Vessels with Reduced Crew Aboard 

Emergencies, such as flooding or fire, pose a substantial threat to personnel and property, especially if they go unnoticed and are not addressed quickly. Minor incidents that remain unaddressed can have catastrophic results. When a vessel is in layup or moored with reduced crew and its normal operating stations—such as the bridge or engine room—unattended, it is imperative that any crewmembers on board be notified of emergencies without delay to allow for a timely response. Alarm or other notification systems should be configured such that crewmembers, even in accommodation spaces, are notified immediately in case of flooding or other emergency.

Video

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

​​​​​​ ​
​
​